Department for Transport

Network Rail: Property

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Rothschild's regarding their study into Network Rail's commercial property portfolio.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ministers and officials meet Rothschild and other financial advisors from time to time. Departmental Ministers and officials have held no meetings with Rothschild specifically on their study into Network Rail’s commercial property portfolio.

Network Rail

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which studies or investigations are currently examining past, present or future issues relating to Network Rail; who commissioned each study or investigation; and what are the names of the study or investigation leaders, terms of reference and planned reporting dates for each.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has recently commissioned three pieces of work looking into Network Rail: - Dame Colette Bowe is looking at what lessons can be learnt from the planning of the Control Period 5 programme in order to improve future rail infrastructure investment. This will report in September. - Sir Peter Hendy is looking at how we can put the current investment programme back on a sustainable footing. This will also report in the autumn. - Nicola Shaw will look to the future: advising the government on how it should approach the future shape and financing of Network Rail in the longer term. This will report in time for Budget 2016. The terms of reference for Bowe are available in the Libraries of the House. Terms of reference for the other two pieces of work have not been published. Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road are also conducting their own reviews internally. Any terms of reference are held by the respective organisations.

East Anglia Railway Line

Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent any plans for the Norwich–Liverpool line, particularly in the Chelmsford area, have been affected by recent changes to Network Rail.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We do not envisage any changes to plans for the Norwich – Liverpool line.

Road Signs and Markings: Speed Limits

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to use electronic road traffic signs to encourage drivers to moderate their speed by reminding them of the effect of doing so on the environment and public health, and the impact of reduced speeds on road accidents.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has no plans to use electronic traffic signs to influence driver speeds by signing the environmental, public health and road accident impacts. However, electronic signing is prescribed for use to remind drivers exceeding the signed limit to slow down and to warn of the need to slow down for junction, bend or roundabout hazards.

Heathrow Airport

Lord True: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations, if any, they have received from the government of China or Chinese state agencies about the potential expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: To ensure our long term connectivity needs can be met, the previous Government established the independent Airports Commission to identify and recommend to Government options for maintaining this country’s status as an international hub for aviation. Three options for expansion were shortlisted by the Commission for further examination. I am not aware of Her Majesty’s Government receiving any representations from the government of China or Chinese state agencies about the potential expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Heathrow Airport

Lord True: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations, if any, they have received from the government of Qatar or Qatari state agencies about the potential expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Airport expansion in the South East of England has been discussed by British and Qatari officials as part of wider exchanges on investment in the UK in the normal course of business. We have not had any formal representations from the State of Qatar on this issue.

Heathrow Airport

Lord True: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have discussed the possible expansion of Heathrow with representatives of the government of China or Chinese state agencies in preparing for the state visit of the President of China in October.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: To ensure our long term connectivity needs can be met, the previous Government established the independent Airports Commission to identify and recommend to Government options for maintaining this country’s status as an international hub for aviation. Three options for expansion were shortlisted by the Commission for further examination.   I am not aware of Her Majesty’s Government receiving any representations from the government of China or Chinese state agencies about the potential expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Great Western Railway Line

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to adding diesel motors to the Hitachi Inter City Express trains intended to operate on the Great Western lines from Paddington to Bristol and Swansea so that they can be used while the electrification of those lines is delayed.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Intercity Express Programme (IEP) bi-mode trains with diesel motors will be deployed on Great Western lines from 2017. We expect Network Rail to deliver electrification projects within the timescales required for IEP delivery.

Railways: Electrification

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to fund and start the electrification of the Midland Main Line TransPennine rail line before funding and starting Crossrail 2.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 25th June the Secretary of State for Transport announced that work on Midland Main Line electrification was being paused pending Sir Peter Hendy’s proposals this autumn on re-planning the Control Period 5 programme. It would be premature to speculate now on the outcome of the re-plan.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) how long it would take to give all roads in the United Kingdom a surface treatment using super flex asphalt, and (2) the cost of doing so.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: No assessment has been carried out concerning the time and cost required to resurface the road Network in England applying this specific proprietary product. Both Highways England, as a publicly owned company responsible for the strategic road network and local highway authorities, responsible for maintaining the local road network, allow the use of many materials for treating highway surfaces. The Department for Transport is aware of a number of local highway authorities currently using Superflex asphalt to help repair their roads. Using this product is entirely a matter for each individual highway authority to decide. It is important that products can demonstrate that they can achieve certain standards of safety, durability, environmental, and life cycle benefits. Suppliers promoting their road surfacing products have to undertake strictly managed trials before they can be widely used on the network. Highways England is currently undertaking initial trials to assess the performance of Superflex on the network. The trials are likely to be completed by 2017.

Pregnant Women: Aviation

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what published scientific data there are regarding the risks to the unborn child of inhaling heated pyrolysed synthetic jet engine fumes.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Her Majesty’s Government is not aware of any such data. However, Public Health England advise that the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) have reviewed published data in 2007 and in 2013 data from four new research projects undertaken by Cranfield University relating to the cabin air environment, ill-health in aircraft crews and the possible relationship to smoke/fume events in aircraft.   Although this review focused on cabin crew the possibility of exposure of the passengers to fumes was considered. Passengers, and by extrapolation an unborn child, which spend much less time than crew in the environment are much less likely to be exposed to rare occurrences of fume episodes. Furthermore, the exposures detected in cabin air were similar to or lower than occupational (workplace) short-term exposure limits. Workplace exposure limits take into account susceptible groups and therefore would protect pregnant women.

Network Rail

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the appropriateness of Network Rail senior executives investigating the sale of part of the company to private investors.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Day-to-day business decisions are a matter for Network Rail management, within the structure of the Framework Agreement. The longer-term future shape and financing of the company are the responsibility of government. Nicola Shaw, Chief Executive of High Speed 1, has been asked to advise on how the government should approach these matters.

Railways: EU Action

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether officials were instructed to vote against the technical pillar of the Fourth Railway Package at the European Union Transport Council Working Group meeting in June, whilst at the same time supporting the package; and if so, why.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: A proposal for the technical pillar of the Fourth Railway Package was subject to endorsement by Member States on 30 June at a meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER). In line with Government policy, the UK delegation was unable to support the item on the grounds that the proposals were not consistent with the UK’s preferred approach on the use of secondary legislation powers and the use of delegated acts. Notwithstanding our position on this issue, officials were able to offer the UK’s general support for the Package as a whole.

Railways

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk that the works committed to in National Rail's control period 5 will slip into control period 6; which schemes, if any, they assessed as likely to slip into control period 6; and what are the new timescales for those schemes.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Secretary of State for Transport has commissioned proposals this autumn from Network Rail Chair Sir Peter Hendy for a re-plan of the Control Period 5 enhancements programme. It would be premature to comment on the outcome of that work before it has been concluded.

Motorways: Accidents

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many motorway accidents there were in 2013–14; and how many of those involved heavy goods vehicles.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The table below gives the number of personal-injury accidents that occurred on motorways in Great Britain (including motorways with a designation of A(M)) in 2013 and 2014 that were reported to the police. The final column indicates how many of the reported accidents involved at least one heavy goods vehicle (HGV). Reported accidentsof which involved at least one HGV20135,3971,26120145,6301,312 Police reported accidents do not include any damage-only incidents. Not all accidents are reported to the police, therefore these figures do not represent a full count of all collisions or accidents that took place on motorways in 2013 and 2014.

Railways: Electrification

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the progress by Network Rail in delivering the rail electrification programme.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Secretary of State for Transport set out in his oral statement to the House on 25 June, he has asked the new Chair of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy, to re-plan the enhancements programme. A full assessment of the delivery of the enhancements programme will be a specific task of the re-plan, which is due to report back in the autumn.

Ports: EU Action

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposed European Union port services regulation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Regulation as initially proposed by the European Commission in May 2013 was ill-suited to the UK’s thoroughly competitive ports industry and in that form would impose unacceptable regulatory burdens. Very significant improvements were, however, secured by the UK, working with other Member States, in the Council General Approach agreed in October 2014. The matter is now under consideration in the European Parliament. The Government will continue to scrutinize proposed amendments very carefully with a view to ensuring that UK trade, ports and shipping interests are not damaged by this legislation.

London Underground

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of salary levels for employees working on the London Underground on the affordability of the use of the network by poor families.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: To deliver a large programme of capital investment Transport for London (TfL) needs highly skilled, specialist and experienced staff and competes with the private sector for the best professional staff across a range of disciplines. Tube operators’ pay is comparable with the rest of the rail industry. TfL's salaries and total employment package are regularly benchmarked against the external market to ensure they are competitive. Fares in real terms have been frozen for two years in a row. Pay-as-you-go daily caps have been cut to one fifth of the cost of a 7 Day Travelcard to Zone 1, providing fairer and more affordable travel for flexible and part-time workers. A wide range of customers can enjoy discounted and concessionary travel, including students, Londoners over 60, disabled travellers, apprentices, war veterans, and people who receive Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseeker's Allowance.

London Underground

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the cost of creating an automated underground system in London; and what would be the net effect on the public purse of creating such a system.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Various levels of automation currently operate across the underground network. Automatically driven trains operate on the Central, Jubilee, Northern and Victoria lines. On some lines, full automation may not be possible due to physical infrastructure limitations. A decision to fully automate any Underground line, or the entire network, would not be made solely on the net effect on the public purse, but on the net effect of the costs and benefits. This would include consideration of financial costs, but also the constraints of existing Underground physical infrastructure, customer service and operational models.

Underground Railways

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which cities globally have an automated underground or metro transport system; and what research they have conducted on the effectiveness of those systems.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has not undertaken any research on the effectiveness of global automatic underground and metro transport systems. London Underground is a founder member of CoMET, an international benchmarking group for the world’s largest metro systems, and a member of the International Association of Public Transport, and as a result has engaged extensively with many of the world’s most advanced automated systems. This has included: Paris Metro, to learn from the successful conversion of an existing line to full automation. Lille Metro, to learn from their programme to retrofit pre-assembled Platform Edge Door (PEDs) units, minimising closures and maximising value for money. Seoul Metro, to learn from their integrated use of gap fillers, PEDs and obstacle detection solutions at the Platform Train Interface. And Barcelona Metro, to learn from their staffing model for automation that has led to increased staff satisfaction and lower absenteeism.

Motorways: Outdoor Advertising

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what regulations they are considering to restrict high intensity lit advertising for goods and services over motorways in urban locations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government have no plans to introduce regulations to restrict high intensity lit advertising over motorways for goods and services at this time.

Network Rail

Lord Snape: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to make further changes at board level at Network Rail.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Secretary of State for Transport’s direct powers in relation to Network Rail’s Board are the rights to appoint or remove the Chair and the Special Director. Decisions on both of these posts were announced on 25 June and have taken effect. Other changes to Network Rail’s Board are a matter for Network Rail in consultation with the Secretary of State. As it said in its Annual Report, Network Rail is currently in the process of recruiting a new Non-Executive Director with railway experience.

Transport for London

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to transfer more surface railways to Transport for London.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As demonstrated by the various routes and services devolved to Transport for London (TfL) since 2007, the Department for Transport is committed to transferring services to local control where there is a business case for doing so. In May 2018, Heathrow Connect services are due to be transferred to TfL control in preparation for full operation of Crossrail.

Home Office

Africa and Middle East: Refugees

Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they are playing in the European Union Regional Development and Protection Programme to support those countries supporting the majority of displaced refugees in the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support is being given to the proposal to establish a multi-purpose centre for migrants in Niger as set out in the Communication from the European Commission A European Agenda on Migration.

Lord Bates: The UK is on the Steering Committee of the Middle East Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP) and in the implementing consortia for the Horn of Africa and North Africa RDPPs. We have committed £400,000 to the Middle East RDPP and have offered support to the Horn of Africa and North Africa programmes, the precise nature of which will be dictated by the needs of individual projects once these are developed. In the first instance we have offered to fund an expert to help the lead countries to scope and develop each programme.The European Commission has proposed that a multi-purpose centre will be set up in Niger by the end of the year, as part of broader efforts to address migratory pressures on the EU at a key location on the western route to Libya. The centre will combine the provision of information on the risks of illegal migration and regional alternatives, support for those in need of protection, and assistance for those deciding to return home. The UK has joined an informal working group to make progress on this proposal, which remains at an early stage of development. Once more detail is known, we will consider what support we might offer.

Refugees: Mediterranean Sea

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Bates on 14 July, when the inter-departmental ministerial meeting to discuss the refugee crisis will take place.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Bates on 14 July, what issues will be on the agenda during the inter-departmental ministerial meeting to discuss the refugee crisis; and whether they plan to consider the creation of protected safe zones, and the call from Save the Children for the United Kingdom urgently to relocate 1,500 children.

Lord Bates: The inter-departmental ministerial meeting is on the 14th October. The agenda has yet to be confirmed but it is likely that a wide range of issues relating to the situation in the Mediterranean will be discussed.

Former Prime Ministers: Security

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 14 July (HL714) concerning the cost of security protection for former Prime Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers, whether they will publish the total cost in 2014 to 2015 of security protection for all recipients.

Lord Bates: I refer to my previous written answers: disclosure of such information could compromise the integrity of and affect the security of the individuals concerned.Disclosing such details would not only reveal tactical policing decisions, but would compromise the safety of those arrangements since it would enable those wishing to circumvent them to form an assessment of the level of policing and protection being provided.

Illegal Immigrants

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many illegal immigrants who have travelled from (1) France and (2) Holland have been detected and intercepted on arrival at United Kingdom ports or rail terminals in each month since January 2014.

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many illegal immigrants who have been detected and intercepted on arrival in the United Kingdom from France during the last twelve months have been returned to France.

Lord Bates: To ensure the integrity and security of the UK border Her Majesty’s Government does not comment on port specific statistics.Figures are based on interceptions at arrivals in UK ports only. These figures do not include in-country finds (ie lorry drops etc) and the country of departure in some cases is claimed.The figures quoted are management information, which is subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change. Data on the number of illegal immigrants returned to France is not centrally held.

Illegal Immigrants

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether illegal immigrants who have travelled to the United Kingdom from another EU member state and who seek asylum in the United Kingdom are refused entry and routinely returned to the EU member state from which they travelled.

Lord Bates: The Dublin Regulation is an important tool for maintaining the distinction between international protection and economic or other migration, reflecting the accepted principle of international law that those seeking international protection should seek asylum in the first safe country they reach.If we have evidence that an asylum seeker is the responsibility of another European country we can, and will, seek to return them there under the Dublin Regulation. Similarly, if we have evidence that the person claiming asylum in the UK has already been granted international protection by another European country we will also seek to remove them to the country that granted protection. Over 12,000 migrants have been returned from the UK to another EU country since 2003.

Refugees: Mediterranean Sea

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assets are now involved in humanitarian operations in the central Mediterranean; and for how long they are committed.

Lord Bates: The UK currently has two Border Force patrol vessels in the Mediterranean directly tasked with saving lives.In addition, HMS ENTERPRISE, supported by a Merlin helicopter, is the UK’s contribution to the EU operation in the Mediterranean to disrupt the smuggling networks. She will participate in search and rescue when required. We keep our commitment under close review, depending on operational need.

Hungary: Serbia

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the likely effects of construction of a fence by the government of Hungary along their border with Serbia on attempts at illegal immigration into the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: We continue to monitor the migration situation from the Western Balkans closely, including the Hungarian Government’s plans to respond to increased migrant flows by building a fence along its border with Serbia.It is vital that all EU Member States ensure the full functioning of the external EU border. That is primarily the responsibility of the Member State concerned, although it is right that the EU and other Member States support those whose borders are under particular pressure. Member States also need to work jointly to address secondary movements of illegal migrants within the EU.While it may help address the immediate situation, strengthening EU borders will not be sufficient to address current pressures. Instead, the EU must enhance joint efforts with third country partners, including the countries of the Western Balkans, to combat organised immigration crime, deter abuse of Member States’ asylum systems, and address the root causes of illegal migration. That is what Her Majesty's Government is pressing all Member States to do.

Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, with regard to the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3 Regulations) 2015, they plan to publish (1) their detailed assessment of the compatibility of the regulations with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; (2) the Public Sector Equality Duty statement; and (3) the detailed review methodology, as set out in the consultation letters.

Lord Bates: Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their “essential living needs” - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.The most recent review showed that the asylum support payments provided to larger household groups comfortably exceeded what is necessary to meet their essential living needs.Along with accommodation, and free access to health care and education, the essential living needs covered by the asylum support rates are compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the child, and include nutrition, clothing and access to social, cultural and religious life.In conducting the review, due regard was given the Public Sector Equality Duty and the assessment was that the reduced payments were still sufficient to meet those needs. The statement also sets out the methodology used in the review. A copy of the statement was recently provided on request to the House of Commons library.The adequacy of the payment rates will be kept under review through the annual review cycle and in line with the statutory test to ensure that the right level of support is provided to asylum seekers and their families.

Immigration Officers: Dover Port

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many immigration officers were on duty on 21 July at the port of Dover; and what assessment they have made of whether that number was adequate.

Lord Bates: Her Majesty’s Government does not comment on port specific deployment numbers. Border Force deployed additional resources to combat the increase in opportunistic migrant activity. The UK Immigration controls for the Dover – Calais, Dover – Dunkirk routes are located in Calais.

Overseas Students: Visas

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list, for each of the last four calendar years, (1) each accredited United Kingdom higher education institution's visa refusal rate; (2) the number of students initially sponsored by each institution under Tier 4 who later went on to claim asylum in the United Kingdom; and (3) the number of students initially sponsored by each institution under Tier 4 who were later subject to enforcement action.

Lord Bates: We do not hold the data in a format which would allow us to answer the questions and we have estimated that to obtain the necessary information would incur disproportionate cost.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Sheltered Employment: Minimum Wage

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to consider providing a therapeutic exemption from the National Minimum Wage for registered charities, or social enterprises, that establish sheltered employment for those with disabilities.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The following occupations are exempted under Part 6 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 from being paid National Minimum Wage: · self-employed people running their own business · company directors · volunteers or voluntary workers · workers on a government employment programme, e.g. the Work Programme · family members of the employer living in the employer’s home · non-family members living in the employer’s home who share in the work and leisure activities, are treated as one of the family and aren’t charged for meals or accommodation, eg au pairs · workers younger than school leaving age (usually 16) · higher and further education students on a work placement up to 1 year · workers on government pre-apprenticeships schemes · people on the following European Union programmes: Leonardo da Vinci, Youth in Action, Erasmus, Comenius · people working on a Jobcentre Plus Work trial for 6 weeks · members of the armed forces · share fishermen · prisoners · people living and working in a religious community The Government has no plans to change this list.

Small Businesses: Living Wage

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on small businesses of the new national living wage.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government will publish an impact assessment for the introduction of the National Living Wage alongside the implementing regulations. These regulations will be debated in both Houses of Parliament in time to come into force on 1 April 2016. This will contain a section on the impact on small businesses.

Small Businesses: Regulation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to help small businesses that face high costs when complying with regulations.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: This Government is committed to reducing the regulatory burden for all businesses. The “One in, Two out” rule put a strict brake on the introduction of new regulations. The Enterprise Bill will ensure that we deal with more aspects of the costs of burdensome regulations by targeting regulators’ actions as part of the overall £10 billion in cuts we promised. This will drive savings through, for instance, simpler guidance, less paperwork and coordinated inspections.   We are also carrying out a rolling programme of ‘Cutting Red Tape’ sector reviews, working with trade associations, business groups, departments and regulators to identify current burdens on business with a view to reducing these where possible. Each review will look specifically at the experience of smaller businesses. Our forthcoming Enterprise Bill will allow changes in regulators’ policies to count against our £10 billion deregulation target. That will encourage regulators to think about their impact on businesses, especially small ones.

Engineering

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 6 July (HL793), what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the measures with the figures set out by the Confederation of British Industry in their publication Gateway to Growth on education and skills.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The CBI Gateway to Growth report contains a wide range of figures which underline the need for more higher-level technical skills, more STEM skills, more employers involved in apprenticeships and ensuring people are equipped with the skills that employers need.   The measures set out in my reply of 6 July are fully compatible with these needs. Our goal through apprenticeships and national colleges is to equip people with the skills, in many cases higher level technical skills, that employers need. We are committed to 3 million apprenticeship starts this parliament and are developing a comprehensive plan for growth, including more work with large employers and more support for small businesses. Our reforms are aimed at simplifying apprenticeships, increasing quality and putting employers at the heart of delivery and design so that they get people with the skills that they need. Our work on such things as ‘Your-Life’ campaign, Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, STEM ambassadors in schools, improved careers advice and investment in HE teaching and facilities is designed to stimulate interest in STEM subjects and the careers that they lead to and ensure high quality learning for those that pursue them.

Employment: Females

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 3 July (HL933) concerning women's employment in the United Kingdom, whether they have informed the European Commission of the measures implemented by the United Kingdom to encourage women into work; and whether they will recommend that the European Commission should concentrate their efforts on the other 23 countries which have a lower percentage of women at work.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government informs the European Commission of our employment policies, including female employment and measures to help working women and families, as part of the European Semester process and other engagement with Commission officials. In the area of employment, the Government’s view is that the European Semester should focus on those areas that are most directly relevant to employment outcomes, such as the efficiency and functioning of labour markets and should encourage all Member States to remove barriers to greater participation of women in the economy.

Public Service Broadcasting

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish proposals regarding the repeal of section 73 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 following the recent consultation document on the balance of payments between television platforms and public service broadcasters.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government intends to publish its response to the Balance of Payments consultation later this year. The Government will set out its position in regards to section 73 in the response.

Department for Education

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage and support maintained secondary schools in enabling all pupils, including those who are not academically talented, to develop the confidence and interpersonal skills that will help them towards success and wellbeing in adult life; and what steps they plan to take in the future.

Lord Nash: We have high aspirations for all children. In order to achieve their potential all children need strong academic skills, but also a strong set of complementary skills that will set them up for life in modern Britain. Schools should balance the provision of a rigorous academic curriculum with a broad range of additional activities, such as sport, volunteering and cultural activities, to develop character, resilience, confidence and interpersonal skills. The Department for Education has committed £3.5 million as part of the Character Innovation Fund (announced in spring) to support 14 projects designed to help create a generation of confident, resilient young people. We have also made  £1 million available to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to expand research into the most effective ways that character can be developed. The DfE has invested over £460 million from 2012-2016 in a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes that improve access to the arts for all children regardless of their background and to develop talent across the country. This includes support for music education hubs which provides opportunities for children and young people to play in ensembles and develop singing strategies. Through playing a musical instrument, young people can learn perseverance and discipline and develop confidence, team-working and leadership skills.Through the primary PE and sport premium, over £300 million of ring-fenced funding was paid direct to schools across academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to improve PE and sport. The Government has committed to continue this funding of £150 million a year until 2020. Independent research found that over 70% of schools used the funding to provide more extra-curricular activities and offer a wider range of sports. Through competitive sport young people can learn teamwork, perseverance, self-control, and sportsmanship.

The Lord Chairman of Committees

All Party Groups

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask the Chairman of Committees what role the House of Lords authorities had in agreeing the new rules for All-Party Parliamentary Groups issued by the House of Commons Committee on Standards to take effect at the start of the Parliament.

Lord Sewel: In June 2012 a working group established by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker reported on the operation and funding of all-party groups. The working group had three members of the House on it. It heard from the then chairman of the House of Lords Sub-Committee on Lords’ Conduct; conducted an email survey of members of the House; and held a discussion meeting open to all members of the House.Following the working group’s report the House of Commons Committee on Standards began an inquiry into all-party groups, taking its first evidence in June 2013. In view of concern that the inquiry had yet to hear from any member of the Lords, in July 2013 the Lord Speaker wrote to the party whips and the Convenor of the Crossbench peers to alert them to the inquiry and the fact that members of the House of Lords were entitled to make submissions.Shortly before the Standards Committee’s report on All-Party Parliamentary Groups was published in November 2013 the chair of that committee wrote to the Lord Speaker alerting her to its emerging thinking and enclosing the new rules which that committee was proposing. The Committee’s report, and the proposed new rules, were agreed by the House of Commons on 13 May 2014.Since the House of Commons passed the first resolution regulating all-party groups in 1985, decisions on the rules for all-party groups have been for the House of Commons. The Register of All-Party Groups is maintained by the House of Commons Registrar and complaints of breach of the rules are investigated by the House of Commons Commissioner for Standards.

All Party Groups

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask the Chairman of Committees what discussions have taken place between the House of Lords authorities and the Speaker of the House of Commons about the decision that only MPs can chair All-Party Parliamentary Groups.

Lord Sewel: No representations have been made by the House of Lords authorities to the Speaker of the House of Commons about the decision that only MPs can chair All-Party Parliamentary Groups. Since the House of Commons passed the first resolution regulating all-party groups in 1985, decisions on the rules for all-party groups have been for the House of Commons. The Register of All-Party Groups is maintained by the House of Commons Registrar and complaints of breach of the rules are investigated by the House of Commons Commissioner for Standards.

Peers: Freemasonry

Lord Marlesford: To ask the Chairman of Committees whether Members of the House of Lords who are Freemasons are required to register that fact in the Register of Interests.

Lord Sewel: No. Paragraph 84 of the Guide to the Code of Conduct states that “Other non-financial interests are not normally registered, though it may be necessary in certain circumstances to declare them. Such interests include: other trusteeships, for example of private estates; unpaid ordinary membership of voluntary organisations or pressure groups; membership of churches or other religious bodies or organisations. The Registrar is available to advise Members in cases of uncertainty.”

Ministry of Defence

Defence: Expenditure

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether additional categories of expenditure have been added to the defence budget which were not included in the defence budget in each of the last three financial years.

Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Questions HL1238 and HL1239 to the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead on 20 July 2015.



HL1455 - Hansard extract to HL1238 Lord West
(Word Document, 26 KB)

Falkland Islands: Armed Forces

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated annual cost to the public purse of maintaining the United Kingdom's military presence in the Falkland Islands.

Earl Howe: The total annual running cost of the garrison in the Falkland Islands (including infrastructure costs) is around £85 million. In addition, as part of the Falkland Islands Defence Review, £180 million will be invested in improvements to the infrastructure over the next ten years.

Defence Equipment: Procurement

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Ministry of Defence decided to adopt the SAE International specification for metal finishes; and what control they have retained over the specifications they use.

Earl Howe: UK Defence Standardization is responsible for maintaining a portfolio of defence-specific standards appropriately sized to meet defence needs and, where possible, will seek opportunities to rationalise that portfolio in the pursuit of more effective acquisition. The agreement with SAE International is consistent with this approach and in accordance with the Open Government Licence process.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many A400M aircraft have been purchased for use by the United Kingdom's armed forces.

Earl Howe: There are currently five A400M Atlas aircraft in the UK fleet, with acceptance work on a further four being undertaken in the next three months.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many A400M aircraft they plan to purchase for use by the United Kingdom's armed forces.

Earl Howe: The United Kingdom has ordered 22 A400M Atlas aircraft which will be operated by the Royal Air Force.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have concerning the performance of the A400M aircraft during its proving tests.

Earl Howe: Airbus Defence and Space have conducted, and continue to undertake, flight trials using their own aircraft in support of the multinational A400M Atlas programme, and the results are shared with partner nations. The results of these trials are subject to independent surveillance by multinational airworthiness bodies, and have also formed the basis of the evidence scrutinised by the European Aviation Safety Agency prior to the decision to grant a type certificate to the aircraft, engine and propeller.Trial activity is ongoing, and is an essential part of the continuing work to develop the advanced military capabilities of this new aircraft in accordance with agreed capability milestones.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people in the United Kingdom are employed in the construction of parts for the A400M aircraft.

Earl Howe: The Ministry of Defence does not collect this type of information. However, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has estimated that the supply chain for the A400M Atlas aircraft has created or secured work for some 8,000 people in the United Kingdom.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people in Europe are employed in the construction of the A400M aircraft.

Earl Howe: The Ministry of Defence does not collect this type of information; however, Airbus Defence and Space has estimated that the A400M ATLAS programme has created or secured work for some 40,000 people across Europe.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which governments have indicated that they will purchase the A400M aircraft.

Earl Howe: In addition to the six partner nations of Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom that are involved in the A400M Atlas programme, Luxembourg and Malaysia have also ordered Atlas aircraft.With the support of partner nations, Airbus Defence and Space is exploring a range of export opportunities for the Atlas aircraft. However, as such matters are commercially sensitive, I cannot provide any details.

Future Large Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many A400M aircraft have so far been sold.

Earl Howe: A total of 174 A400M Atlas aircraft have been ordered by the six A400M partner nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom), plus Luxembourg and Malaysia.Of this total number, to date, some 16 aircraft have been delivered, with further deliveries expected to continue until at least 2022.

Unidentified Flying Objects

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Ministry of Defence currently outsources investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena to the private sector; and if so, which are the contracted agencies.

Earl Howe: No.

Department for Work and Pensions

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the official monthly rate of sanctions applied to Jobseeker's Allowance claimants is calculated.

Lord Freud: The Department calculates a monthly sanctions rate for Jobseekers Allowance claimants based on the number of sanctions in a month divided by the Claimant Count. The data underpinning the calculations are DWP’s statistics on decisions to apply a sanction and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) statistics on the number of people claiming JSA (the Claimant Count). These are publicly available Official Statistics. More detail on the calculation of the monthly sanctions rate can be found in the statistical ad-hoc publication, “JSA and ESA benefit sanctions rates: explanation of methodology”, available on GOV.UK. A copy of the publication is also attached here.



JSA and ESA benefit sanctions rates
(PDF Document, 47.21 KB)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Government Departments: Assets

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 6 July (HL719), what disposal policies each Department applies to freehold property identified as a prospective asset sale that is of significant nature conservation value.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Core Defra holds a very limited number of sites with significant conservation value. None of these sites are under consideration for disposal. However, all assets are disposed in accordance with the policies set out in ‘Managing Public Money’.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Derelict Land: Planning Permission

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the definition of brownfield sites where planning permission will be automatic, as set out in Fixing the Foundations published on 9 July.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Legislation to grant permission in principle for residential development on suitable brownfield sites will be introduced in due course, which will define which brownfield sites are suitable and will set out the detail of how permission in principle will be granted. Permission in principle will only be granted where the site is suitable for housing which will provide certainty to developers but will also ensure sites which may not be suitable continue to use the planning application process. We recognise the need to maintain important protections, for instance land with high environmental value.

Fracking: Planning Permission

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the recent decisions by Lancashire County Council, whether they intend to change the system or the guidance in relation to planning applications for hydraulic fracturing.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Due to the Secretary of State’s role in the planning process we are unable to comment on specific planning cases. We will keep all aspects of the regulatory regime for shale gas, including the planning system, under review as the industry develops to ensure it is proportionate and fit for purpose.

Planning Permission

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which of the planning proposals set out in the document Fixing the Foundations will require primary legislation.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government's productivity plan 'Fixing the Foundations' indicates where further planning reforms are likely to require legislation. Details will be set out when the legislation is introduced in the autumn.

Derelict Land: Planning Permission

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the automatic planning permission for land included on statutory registers of brownfield land suitable for housing in England under their proposed zonal system for brownfield land will be for outline permission only, or also for other matters such as (1) numbers and types of dwellings, (2) matters relating to access and highways layout, (3) other detailed matters such as design, drainage, landscaping and impact on the local highways network, (4) restrictions relating to development work on the site, and (5) Community Infrastructure Levy or section 106 contributions; and if the automatic permission is only for permission in principle, what will be the system for achieving permission in relation to these other matters.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Our proposal is to grant permission in principle for identified sites in a new statutory brownfield register. Technical details will then require further approval from the local planning authority. Further details on how the measure will work will be made available in the autumn.

Derelict Land

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to ask local authorities to begin compiling registers of brownfield land suitable for housing in advance of it becoming a statutory requirement.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Registers will make information about suitable brownfield housing sites available to developers and local communities helping to support the Government’s objectives of building more new homes on brownfield land. In advance of legislation requiring brownfield registers the Government will encourage local authorities to make this information available on a voluntary basis.

Derelict Land: Planning Permission

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the inclusion of land on a statutory register of brownfield land suitable for housing in England will prevent the owner applying for planning permission for another use, and that permission being granted.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are committed to ensuring that suitable brownfield land is used as much as possible for the development of new homes and transparent information in local registers will support this objective. The inclusion of sites on brownfield registers will not prevent an applicant applying for planning permission to develop the site for any other use. The determination of planning applications is for local decision makers.

Regional Planning and Development: North of England

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 28 May (HL97 and HL98), what are the geographical boundaries of the area included in the Northern Powerhouse; which cities are encompassed within the phrase "our northern cities"; whether Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and Lincoln are included as "northern cities" in the Northern Powerhouse; and if not, what is their relationship with the Northern Powerhouse.

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to nominate a capital of the Northern Powerhouse; and if so, how it will be chosen, and whether cities will be able to bid formally for that status.

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there will be a secretariat for the Northern Powerhouse; and if so, where it will be based, and how many persons they expect to be employed there by the end of 2015, 2016 and 2020.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The exact extent of the North in the context of the Northern Powerhouse is not prescribed by the Government. There will not be a secretariat and we do not intend to nominate a capital. However, the Government considers the following eleven Local Enterprise Partnerships to be part of the North: North East Local Enterprise PartnershipCumbria Local Enterprise PartnershipTees Valley Local Enterprise PartnershipYork, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise PartnershipLancashire Local Enterprise PartnershipHumber Local Enterprise PartnershipLeeds City Region Local Enterprise PartnershipLiverpool City Region Local Enterprise PartnershipGreater Manchester Local Enterprise PartnershipSheffield City Region Local Enterprise PartnershipCheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership It is important, for the Northern Powerhouse to work with its neighbouring Local Enterprise Partnership areas across the UK to ensure rebalancing across all regions and nations of the UK – as set out in the Government’s long-term economic plan.

Cabinet Office

Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010

Lord Norton of Louth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance is given to members of the Senior Civil Service in furtherance of the provisions of section 3(6) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act.

Lord Bridges of Headley: Section 3(6) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act is a requirement of the Civil Service Code which is part of the terms and conditions of all civil servants.

Department for Culture Media and Sport

UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 July (HL790), what factors they took into account in deciding not to nominate a candidate from the United Kingdom for the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: With all nominations to United Nations and other international committees, the United Kingdom duly considers many factors We are fully committed to fulfilling our obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and remain focused on ensuring effective gender mainstreaming across Government including implementing the recommendations of the CEDAW committee which were accepted by the United Kingdom following the examination of the UK's 7th periodic report.

Department of Health

Health Services: Chinese

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to establish a national strategy for dealing with health issues amongst the United Kingdom's Chinese community.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the health needs of the United Kingdom's Chinese community.

Lord Prior of Brampton: There are no plans to establish a national strategy for dealing with health issues amongst the United Kingdom’s Chinese communities and no assessment of their needs has been made at national level. The Government believes that local commissioners are best placed to assess and deal with the needs of their local populations.

Life Expectancy: Disadvantaged

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what policies they plan to bring forward to tackle the shorter average life expectancy in the most deprived areas of the country.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department is taking a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to reducing the health inequalities that shorten life expectancy including promoting healthier lifestyles across the whole of society, working to address the wider, social causes of ill health and early death as well as tackling differences in access to, and outcomes from, health services.   The legal duties to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities apply to the Secretary of State for Health, National Health Service Commissioning Board, known as NHS England, and clinical commissioning groups, embedding consideration of health inequalities across the public health and health care system. For example, the need to reduce health inequalities has been reflected in the NHS Constitution, NHS Mandate, Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and is a condition of the public health grant to local authorities. Health inequalities are measured through the Public Health Outcomes Framework and the NHS Outcomes Framework and life expectancy is an overarching indicator in both.   In 2014, Living Well for Longer: National support for local action, which is attached, set out the national actions taken by the Department, wider Government, NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) in the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of the five big killer diseases and to reduce health inequalities. NHS England (in the Five Year Forward View) and PHE (in From evidence into action) have published long term plans which echo the need to prioritise and mainstream prevention as fundamental in improving outcomes and reducing health inequalities as well as maintaining sustainability of the health and care system. Copies of both documents have also been attached. 



From Evidence into Action
(PDF Document, 1.91 MB)




Living Well For Longer
(PDF Document, 1.5 MB)




Five Year Forward View
(PDF Document, 534.22 KB)

Speech Therapy: Training

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to take steps to increase the number of training posts for speech and language therapists available in 2016–17.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The National workforce plan for England 2015-16 outlines that commissions for Speech and Language Therapists has increased since 2014-15 by 3.7%.   Health Education England is currently working with local organisations and key external stakeholders to develop the National Workforce Plan for England covering the period 2016-17. This will be published in December 2015. The plan takes account of what local providers require by way of future staffing levels including Speech and Language Therapists.

Folic Acid

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the result of the research commissioned by the Department of Health to explore new and innovative communication approaches that would be effective in raising awareness among women of the need to take folic acid supplements and in promoting behaviour change.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The commissioned research is one of the sources of information being considered to inform a decision on the best way to increase awareness among women of the importance of taking folic acid supplements. A decision will be announced in due course.

NHS: Negligence

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the change in the annual cost of clinical negligence; and what plans they have in place to reduce costs arising out of clinical negligence.

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to reform the rules relating to claimant expert reports covered by after-the-event insurance in clinical negligence cases.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government is concerned about the rising cost of clinical negligence claims and is working with the NHS Litigation Authority, the wider National Health Service and others on ways to reduce the litigation bill in order to save money which would be better spent on patient care.   The costs of after-the-event insurance will be considered as part of this work.In addition, the Department announced plans on 28 June 2015 to consult formally on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence claims, with a view to reducing how much claimants’ lawyers can claim in costs in lower value claims.   The announcement on 28 June 2015 was posted on the Department’s Media Centre social media channel, ‘dhmediacentre.tumblr.com’. The text of the announcement was as follows:   Government to cap excessive legal fees in clinical negligence cases Excessive legal fees charged by lawyers in clinical negligence claims could be capped as part of Department of Health plans to save the NHS up to £80 million a year. · Health Minister, Ben Gummer, has today outlined the plans following a letter to the Master of the Rolls. · In 2013/14 claimant lawyers charged the NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA) £259million in legal fees for clinical negligence claims. · Currently, there is no limit on legal fees even if the compensation claim is small, meaning lawyers can claim extortionate fees for low-cost cases. · In one case, a lawyer charged £175,000 while the patient received just £11,800 in damages. · In another, the legal bill was more than £80,000 while the patient only received £1,000 — the legal bill was later reduced to less than £5,000 by the courts after a successful challenge by NHS LA. Taking cost claims to courts is a time and cost-consuming process in itself and could be avoided if fixed costs are introduced. · NHS LA has saved the NHS more than £74 million by challenging excessive legal costs in 2013/14 but these new DH proposals to put strict limits on legal bills will help them further. · Proposals include fixing legal costs for claims up to £100,000. The lawyer’s fee would reflect a percentage of the compensation received by the patient so that it is proportionate. · Limits have already been introduced for other areas of personal injury claims such as road traffic accidents and employers’ and public liability. · The detailed proposals are being considered by Ministers ahead of a formal consultation in the autumn. · These plans follow recent announcements by DH on other tough new financial controls to cut down on waste in the NHS and save money which could be spent on patient care. Health Minister, Ben Gummer, said: “Safe, compassionate care is my upmost priority and to achieve this, the NHS must make sure every penny counts. Unscrupulously, some lawyers have used patient claims to load grossly excessive costs onto the NHS and charge far more than the patient receives in compensation. "Our One Nation approach is about being on the side of hardworking taxpayers and these financial controls will ensure money is pumped back into patient care.”

NHS: Laboratories

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many National Health Service laboratories have full International Organization for Standards certification; and when they expect those not reaching the necessary standards to be certified.

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many National Health Service laboratories are currently in service; how many have been inspected by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service since 2010; and on how many occasions.

Lord Prior of Brampton: This information is not collected centrally.

Monitor: Pay

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new chief executive officer of Monitor will receive a remuneration package higher than the Prime Minister’s salary.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The remuneration package will be commensurate with the responsibilities that this position entails.

NHS: Drugs

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the remarks by the NHS England Clinical Director of Specialised Services that the National Health Service will not be able to afford many new drugs and treatments are consistent with (1) the statutory duty placed on NHS England to encourage innovation, and (2) the agreement with the pharmaceutical industry to hold down costs over a five-year period.

Lord Prior of Brampton: No such assessment has been made.   As a statutory organisation, it is for NHS England to ensure that its actions are in compliance with its statutory duties.   The Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) Payments for England all go back into spending on improving patients’ health and care. The Department includes the expected PPRS Payments in setting the NHS England allocations in advance of each year.

Gambling: Greater London

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what data, if any, is collected on the number of people with gambling addiction in London; and what were the total numbers in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, (3) 2012, (4) 2013 and (5) 2014.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Health and Social Care Information Centre does not collect information on the number of people with a gambling addiction.   The 2012 Health Survey for England did include a chapter on gambling which may be of interest although it does not give a count of people with a gambling addiction.   In 2012, for the first time, questions on gambling activity were included in the Health Survey for England. The chapter presents estimates of participation in all forms of gambling in the last year, followed by estimates of problem and at-risk gambling according to two different measurement instruments, the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) and the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI).   The introduction to the chapter states:   - In the last decade, the gambling landscape in Britain has changed significantly. This is evident with the rise of online gambling opportunities and also with the implementation of the UK Gambling Act 2005.   - Fully implemented in 2007, this legislation overhauled the way commercial gambling is regulated, licensed and advertised in the UK. In Britain, gambling is positioned as a legitimate recreational and leisure activity, with policy responsibility held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.   - However, there is widespread recognition among policy makers, industry and health care professionals alike that, like alcohol consumption, some people who engage in gambling can experience harm. A copy of the document ‘Health Survey England 2012’ , Volume 1, Chapter 7 has been attached.   It is planned to repeat this chapter in the 2015 survey which is expected to be published towards the end of 2016. 



Health Survey for England 2012 Chapter 7
(PDF Document, 456.75 KB)

Hepatitis: Drugs

Lord Mancroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the commitment in the Conservative Party manifesto to increase the use of new and cost-effective medicines applies to treatments approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for Hepatitis C.

Lord Prior of Brampton: NHS England extended access to new oral treatments for patients with hepatitis C and cirrhosis at the beginning of June 2015. A copy of the related policy can be found on the NHS England website and accessed via the following link:   http://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/06/hep-c-cirrhosis-polcy-statmnt-0615.pdf   A copy of this document is also attached.   From 1 August this year, hepatitis C operational delivery networks will be in place across England to ensure that patients have access to treatment expertise via multi-disciplinary teams. 



Hepatitis C Policy Statement
(PDF Document, 468.78 KB)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Lord Mancroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is possible to amend the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's process and methodology for technology appraisals midway through an appraisal.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it follows the processes and methodology set out in its published guidance development manuals. NICE’s processes are sufficiently flexible to enable it to respond to unique situations that arise within an appraisal. There have been occasions where changes to the published processes have been introduced during an ongoing appraisal. In such cases, full consultation with stakeholders on substantive changes have taken place before their implementation.

NHS: Drugs

Lord Mancroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Accelerated Access Review will publish its views on the potential assessment of affordability in relation to the appraisal of new medicines.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Accelerated Access Review will publish its interim recommendations by the autumn, and further recommendations in December.

Hepatitis: Drugs

Lord Mancroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many meetings they have held with NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to discuss the appraisal and future availability of Hepatitis C medicines; and whether minutes of such discussions will be published.

Lord Prior of Brampton: A number of meetings and discussions have taken place between Departmental officials, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence about the appraisal and availability of drugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C. Not all of these were minuted and the Department has no plans to publish minutes for those that were.

Eastman Dental Hospital

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the proposed relocation of the Eastman Dental Hospital, what steps are being taken to ensure the continuation of the specialised dental postgraduate training and research facilities currently offered.

Lord Prior of Brampton: We understand there are no plans to reduce the specialised dental postgraduate training and research currently offered as a consequence of the proposed move from the current site.

Congenital Abnormalities

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years for which figures are available, how many of the pregnancies affected by neural tube defects were second or subsequent pregnancies.

Lord Prior of Brampton: This information is not collected centrally.

Creating an Open and Honest Reporting Culture in the NHS Independent Review

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish their response to their consultation on the implementation of the recommendations, principles and actions set out in the report of the Freedom to Speak Up review.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Her Majesty’s Government’s response to the Freedom to Speak Up consultation (CM9113) was laid on Thursday 16 July 2015 and is attached. 



Learning Not Blaming
(PDF Document, 739.32 KB)

Accident and Emergency Departments

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest figures available for the number of people conveyed to Accident and Emergency departments by police officers.

Lord Prior of Brampton: This information is not collected centrally. There is an ongoing national dialogue between the ambulance and police services to understand the nature of demand better and to develop a comprehensive and cross-service solution. Locally, services are putting in joint procedures to also address the issue.

Antidepressants

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prescriptions for antidepressants have been issued in each of the past thirty years; what was the annual cost to the National Health Service of those prescriptions; and what guidance is given to doctors and patients about the use of antidepressants, their subsequent withdrawal, and potential long-term effects.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Prescribing information is available from 1991; annual figures are provided from 1991 to 2014 for antidepressant prescription items dispensed and the net ingredient cost (NIC).   The number of antidepressant prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England, as classified as antidepressant drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.3, with the NIC – 1991 to 2014YearItems (000’s)NIC (000’s)19918,953.9£54,045.819929,914.3£81,117.6199310,776.7£98,829.8199411,816.4£117,246.3199513,227.1£146,832.9199614,960.6£191,242.8199716,822.6£239,120.5199818,424.5£279,004.3199920,108.1£315,269.3200022,021.8£310,378.2200124,342.7£341,660.9200226,329.4£380,883.1200327,658.0£395,178.0200428,995.5£400,681.7200529,389.9£338,546.7200631,038.0£291,511.4200733,839.6£276,107.6200835,960.5£247,355.1200939,140.5£230,062.9201042,788.0£220,372.8201146,677.8£270,177.2201250,167.2£211,145.4201353,326.6£282,121.6201457,147.9£265,003.7 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system data provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre   Note: The values for NIC have fluctuated over the years; reasons for this will include: the number of antidepressants available on the market, shifts in prescribing practice following national policy and guidance, and the expiry of patents for some medicines and increased use of lower priced generic alternatives. Price changes for generic medicines have strongly influenced the overall costs in recent years. Medicines should only be prescribed when necessary and in all cases the benefit should be considered in relation to the risk involved. The options should be discussed carefully with the patient.   The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a range of clinical guidelines, relevant to the prescribing of anti-depressant medication. Advice on the prescribing of anti-depressants is available in the BNF, which is made available free of charge to National Health Service prescribers. Best practice guidance may also be produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.   In addition, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) ensures that the product information available to all doctors and patients contains authoritative and up to date essential information on how to prescribe antidepressants and on the benefits and risks of treatment, including the risk of withdrawal. In addition the MHRA issues updated advice as appropriate and communications to healthcare professionals via the letters to healthcare professionals, the MHRA website and also Drug Safety Update.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Lord Hughes of Woodside: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 16 July (HL Deb, col 686) regarding police ambulance support, what number of conveyances to Accident and Emergency departments 0.1 per cent represents.

Lord Prior of Brampton: A Metropolitan Police (MPS) Freedom of Information revealed that they conveyed 931 patients to hospital in 2014. This makes up 0.1% of London Ambulance Service’s (LAS) case load in the same year. MPS and LAS continue to work together to develop protocols for dealing with the issue.

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Nurses

Baroness Williams of Crosby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of, and how many, clinical commissioning groups have qualified nurses in senior executive positions on their governing bodies.

Baroness Williams of Crosby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many clinical commissioning groups have no nurses on their governing bodies.

Lord Prior of Brampton: As part of the National Commissioning Nurse Leaders Network, NHS England holds an active database which has information about all 209 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and their senior commissioning nurses within those organisations.   NHS England has informed the Department that all 209 CCGs are showing as having a registered governing body nurse as required in the legislation.